The use of vibratory conveyors to transport materials along a production line is well known. Typically, the materials are deposited at one end of an elongated trough which is vibrated by well known means. The force of the vibrations causes the materials to travel down the length of the trough and out an opening in the end, where they are deposited at another station in the production line.
In many applications two different materials are required to be uniformly blended during the production process. For example, in the production of many cold cereals, flakes must be blended with fruits or nuts to yield a homogeneous product. This blending process is usually performed by a blender at another location in the production line. It is desirable to combine the blending and conveying operations to eliminate excessive equipment and thereby shorten the production line and reduce both the equipment costs and the costs of production.